How to deodorise a smelly pantry?

[oriel3]

We have moved into a new house which has a pantry. The pantry is very smelly. It's hard to describe the exact smell - something like gone off food and mustiness.

We have cleaned the shelves with antibacterial spray. The shelves are lined with wipe clean paper, and we plan to rip them off and reline. We are also constantly airing it. What else can we do to quickly rid it of its smell?

Please help! 👃🏼

Is it the shelves that smell? Or the walls/ door - they may need cleaning too. A paste of bicarb and a little water rubbed on and left overnight then cleaned may help

Dehumidifier, might that draw out the smell if the cause has been cleaned out

Totally read that as a euphemism.

Seriously, I used this for a damp smelly saucepan cupboard, after a year of it stinking it cleared overnight and it never smelled again as long as I left it in there;

Apalus Air Purifying Bag Odor Eliminator www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074XRQG8S/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_HRXDQXDSYWXZW34AY3T4?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Are the shelves wooden? COuld they be damp and mouldy? Black mould spray or diluted bleach will kill off mould.

If its just musty, I agree with the bicarb paste. I always have a little, open jar of bicarb in the cupboards to absorb smells.

Try a kitchen candle

Dehumidifier and air purifier overnight with the door shut (if you own them)

If it is only odours, then a cut onion left in there will absorb a lot

Thanks everybody - you're brilliant. I'm off to try all of the above. Incidentally the seller left an onion in there. Perhaps she already knew about the cut onion trick.

@HipHopanonymous reviews of that bag say you have to buy two for them to work, is that right?

Can anyone recommend a good quality liner to line the wooden shelves in the pantry?

how is it ventilated? Food cupboards and pantries were at one time required to have ventilation, usually in the form of a high and a low airbrick.

these intentionally kept the room cold, and have often been blocked by people who like to keep their food stores comfortably warm and humid.

Wiping over with WUL will help clean the surfaces, and remaining traces prevent mould and bacteria from growing. Wooden shelves can be scrubbed

Cool and dry should do the trick, in the long term.

Leave a bowl of bicarbonate of soda sitting out.

@PigletJohn thanks for gracing my thread! I've read your knowledgeable posts to other people. Can I ask what WUL is? I've googled but no joy. I'm not sure it's ventilated at all. There's a window that opens into the conservatory, but I don't think it's capable of actually opening.

Washing Up Liquid

A cup of instant coffee granules work in a fridge!

The little neutradol pots you can buy are amazing.